1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hat and more particularly to a hat in combination with a hood.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For as long as there has been baseball, there have been baseball style hats or caps. People wear their caps for all occasions. They are generally made of a fabric or woven material having a hemispherical crown. The crown may also be cylindrical with a flat top. Inside the crown at the lower periphery is located a rim or band of reinforced material for securing the cap to the head. At the forward lower periphery portion of the crown is located a stiff visor or bill to assist in keeping the sun out of the eyes of the wearer, or to shield the face of the hat wearer when engaged in activities such as jump roping and the like. Also on the outside of the forward crown portion, indicia or advertising is most common. This construction is universal with respect to all known baseball style caps.
At the rearward portion of the crown, baseball caps begin to somewhat deviate. There are customized caps which have a continuous rim or band around the lower periphery of the crown for exact size fitting for a specific head size. Baseball caps are also made which are adjustable. At the rearward portion of the crown, these caps have a semicircular opening including a band sizing adjustment. Both these styles are typically bare of indicia or the like at the rearward crown portion.
Recently it has become fashionable for kids and young adults to wear their baseball caps with the visor directed rearward. Wearing the cap in this orientation de-emphasizes the advertising or indicia on the crown forward portion which is undesirable by merchants, and leaves the wearer's face exposed to the elements such as sunlight, rain, etc., and to the impact of a jump rope when engaged in that activity.
Furthermore, in many fields of endeavor and activities, persons are exposed to adverse climatic conditions for extended periods of time. For example, a tennis player or jogger may be continuously exposed to strong sunlight for many hours. That same person may also be exposed to winds or rain for similar extended periods of time.
This prolonged exposure can lead to a number of physical problems. The sun exposure can at a minimum cause a sunburn of the skin. Over a long period of time, repeated over-exposure to the sun can result in skin cancer. Exposure to winds can result in windburn, drying of the skin and abrasion of the skin.
Hats, and most commonly, baseball style hats, are not only used as a fashion accessory, but to protect the wearer from the sun and the other elements. A problem with these hats is that when the sun is not directly overhead, the rays of the sunlight are able to impinge on the wearer's neck, face and ears. A similar problem is that the hat will not protect the backside of the wearer, i.e., the neck, shoulder and/or back areas, from the elements, e.g. the sun, the rain or the like.
A scarf or bandanna may be used by the wearer as a shield to protect him or her from the elements. A problem with a scarf is that when it is used in combination with a hat, the scarf is not easily stowed when use of the scarf is not desired. Another problem is that it is difficult to use the hat and scarf to effectively and conveniently protect both the head and backside of the hat and scarf wearer from the elements.